Good Bye
by Glacierclaw
Summary: Birchkit and Applekit have to say good bye to each other...BirchkitApplekit. One shot. Slight spoilers for Starlight.


Here's a little one-shot about Birchkit and Applekit – I thought it was cute in Starlight when they touched noses when they had to leave.

* * *

Good Bye 

I pounced on Marshkit's tail, as he darted away from me. Toadkit tackled me, and I was barreled over, the gray tabby pinning me down. Oh yeah? I'd show him! I would lash out with my claws and make him get off!

I scratched feebly at his stomach, realizing that this didn't have the effect I'd hoped for. But then Applekit tackled Toadkit, knocking over her brother. She twitched her whiskers at me as she held him down. I climbed to my feet.

"I could have done _that,_" I boasted to the ginger she-cat.

"Yeah right," she retorted, and let go of Toadkit and pounced on me. I leapt to the side, but she was still after me. I felt Marshkit crash into me as well.

Struggling beneath the two cats, I saw my mother, Ferncloud, signal me with her tail. I realized with a horrible feeling that it was time to leave.

"It's time you got some sleep, little one," she mewed gently. "We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow."

I walked out from under Marshkit and Applekit and over to my mom. "Can Toadkit and Applekit and Marshkit come too?" I asked.

Tallpoppy, the three kits' mother, padded forward to retrieve her kits. "No, we belong to ShadowClan. We have our own territory now," the tabby she-cat told me.

I was crushed. "But that's not fair!" I cried, and rushed over to my friends. We huddled together as if nothing could tear us apart. "If they can't come, I don't want to go."

"Don't be silly." Ferncloud licked my ears. "That's the warrior code. When you're apprentices you'll meet again at Gatherings."

"It won't be the same," mumbled Toadkit, defiantly looking at his mother.

"And there are no other ThunderClan kits for me to play with," I added, hoping that sympathy would make them understand.

I wasn't so lucky. Tallpoppy dipped her head and swept her tail around her three kits. "Say good-bye now," she meowed.

"Good-bye." Toadkit and Marshkit mewed bitterly in unison. I was very surprised when Applekit actually came forward and touched her nose to mine.

"Good-bye," I told them, feeling terrible about leaving. Why couldn't my mother understand? The three of them padded away, and I wondered if I'd ever see them again. I followed Ferncloud, my tail drooping.

* * *

The Gathering. 

Lots of cats talking, boasting, telling ancient stories, comparing apprentices, and insulting each other.

I was Birchpaw, several moons older than I had been when I had last seen those three friends of mine. I had made very few friends in ThunderClan after that – Whiteflower's kits were four moons younger than I was. So, yes, I was the only apprentice in ThunderClan. I prayed that Applepaw, Toadpaw, and Marshpaw were at this Gathering.

The island had proved to be a perfect place to host the meeting between Clans, and I was glad that the log that had fallen was there to cross so that we didn't have to get our paws wet.

I bounded over to my mentor, Brambleclaw, and looked up at him. "What do I do?" I asked nervously.

"Meet your enemies," he replied, watching the cats with his sharp amber eyes. "Memorize them, and don't give away ThunderClan's secrets."

I blinked. "What would those be?"

"Never mind. Go see if you can find those friends of yours."

Oh, yes, that was right. I could find them. I nodded excitedly and padded away, in search of the three apprentices. I would have to notice them by appearance than scent, because I couldn't remember it. I had only been a little kit.

I spotted a ShadowClan queen and padded over to her. "Excuse me?" I mewed. "Are Toadkit, Applekit, and Maplekit here?"

She stared at me. "Er…I'm from RiverClan." And she padded away.

Oh. Oops. That was embarrassing. RiverClan has the musty, watery smell, I reminded myself. ShadowClan smells… kind of bad, actually, like a swamp. Right.

I walked around the clearing, looking everywhere for a sign of my friends. Then…there! A flash of ginger fur, surrounded by a group of story-telling WindClan cats. I padded over to her and sniffed softly – yes, she smelled of ShadowClan. I mewed loudly,

"Applepaw?"

To my pleasure, she turned around. Brightened.

"Oh, Birchkit! I mean, Birchpaw! You're here!" And she tackled me, like she had before, all those moons ago. The cats around us stared like we were mouse-brains, but I hardly cared. My friend was back, and that was all that mattered.

"I'm so happy to see you again," Applepaw whispered in my ear. "It's so lonely in ShadowClan. We're the only apprentices, us three."

"Me too," I replied. "I'm the only apprentice in ThunderClan, too."

The light ginger she-cat climbed to her feet and stared at me with admiring green eyes. "So, what has happened in ThunderClan?"

"Oh…" Brambleclaw had warned me not to give away any of ThunderClan's secrets. But Applepaw wouldn't use them against me, I was sure. "Well, Whiteflower gave birth to kits, but they're four moons younger, so they won't be apprenticed in a while."

"That's so sad," mewed Applepaw. "It must be awful lonely."

I shrugged uncomfortably. "There are other cats."

The Gathering was over quickly. I was barely listening to the four leaders speak. When it was over, we had to say good-bye again.

* * *

I was a warrior. 

I was Birchfoot.

Firestar had given me my warrior name about three moons ago. I had proven myself to be a perfectly able warrior and many cats respected me. In late greenleaf, I hunted by myself near the ShadowClan border, looking for prey.

At least, that's what I told myself I was looking for.

A familiar she-cat appeared to me, so familiar. I had seen her twice at Gatherings, and that was it. But was she a warrior, like me?

I kept my voice low so I wouldn't scare her as I crouched in the bracken.

"Applepaw!" I hissed. "I'm here!"

Applepaw looked up and flicked her ears hopefully. "Birchpaw?"

I stepped out of the bracken and sat next to the border. "You'll have to call me _Birchfoot_, now," I bragged.

Applepaw purred with laughter and sat across from me. "Say that with a little more of a swagger, will you?" she joked. "I'm Appleheart, by the way."

"Appleheart." I echoed her new name. "I love it."

The light ginger she-cat twitched her whiskers and mewed, "Birchfoot doesn't fit you, I think. What is wrong with your leader? Why can't he name cats?" (a/n: Hint, hint – cough-Squirrelflight-cough)

I hesitated, wondering what to say next. Appleheart purred loudly and nudged me, crossing the border slightly. "Sorry, you couldn't really answer that one," she mewed.

I sighed and returned it with a lick. "Will I see you again?" I asked. "I don't want to have to say another good-bye."

Appleheart shook her head defiantly. "No, Birchfoot. We won't say good-bye again. I'll keep seeing you."

I nodded, blinded to see the danger and disloyalty this would cause. "I'll see you very soon, Appleheart," I told her.

She dipped her head. "As will I you, Birchfoot."

And we did.

Appleheart and I met almost every week. There was no four-moon separation between us this time – we were free. When my siblings died, Larchkit and Hollykit, I thought I'd never be happy again after that, until I met Appleheart again. But rivalries between ThunderClan and ShadowClan were growing when ShadowClan repeatedly hunted on ThunderClan territory. ThunderClan retaliated with an attack, and I was forced to fight against the Clan of my best friend. I never saw Appleheart fight, though. The tension between the two Clans was unbearable, but we would not stop seeing each other.

I was determined not to ever say good-bye again.

However, after we were visiting each other for about a moon, our Clans soon became suspicious of both of us. Blinded by the urge to see Appleheart, I was completely unaware that as I headed toward ShadowClan territory, ThunderClan cats were following me.

I leapt out of the bracken that I always hid in, and waited for her to appear. "Appleheart?"

"I'm here, Birchfoot," was her response. She came out of the bush she was hiding behind and rubbed her nose against mine. I gave her a friendly lick on the shoulder. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw huge angry eyes watching me. I broke away from Appleheart in shock. "What?" she demanded.

"Cats!" I hissed. Three huge toms walked swiftly out of the ferns, fur bristling in pure anger.

"Seeing a cat from another Clan, Appleheart!" snarled one of them. "Blackstar will enjoy banishing you!"

"No!" cried Appleheart. I guarded her, standing in front. Then, "Birchfoot…"

I glanced behind me. To my dismay, ThunderClan cats were also appearing behind me. Cloudtail, Rainwhisker, Spiderleg, and Thornclaw gave me looks of pure hatred.

"You have dishonored your Clan, Birchfoot," hissed Thornclaw, stepping toward me with his claws unsheathed. I was afraid that he'd slash me, but I wasn't about to back down. I was so angry with all the Clans at that moment.

"You're coming with us to see Blackstar," snapped the ShadowClan cats, stepping around Appleheart and knocking me aside. Appleheart was a new warrior – she couldn't fight off these more experienced ones.

"Birchfoot!" she yowled. I rushed toward her, but Rainwhisker blocked my path. I growled and try to push past them, but they held their ground.

"Let me go," I snarled. "Appleheart…" I was very stunned that these cats were not so sensitive when our own deputy, Graystripe, had loved a cat from RiverClan. I allowed them to take me to see Firestar, giving in.

Firestar wasn't so happy to see me, either. "You make ThunderClan look like a mouse-brained Clan," he hissed angrily. "Birchfoot, I am ashamed of you. I thought you were better than this."

I hated how so many cats were glaring at me, calling me a traitor, saying how I had dishonored my Clan just by seeing Appleheart. How badly could I have broken the warrior code?

Firestar confined me to the camp for a whole moon, making me take care of the elders and doing apprentice duties. In a way, I was the apprentice again. The only apprentice. When it was over and I was finally able to leave the camp again, I headed right over to ShadowClan territory.

A group of cats were patrolling the border. I didn't scent Appleheart and figured that she wasn't in that patrol. I waited for a long time, worrying that Blackstar had banished her, before she appeared by the border farther upward, away from the lake. I let out an excited yowl and rushed to her. Her eyes lit up when she spotted me.

We purred and licked and nudged each other with our heads, so happy to see each other once again.

"Appleheart," I whispered.

"Hi." She purred loudly. "What happened? What was your punishment?"

"Had to do apprentice duties," I replied.

"I was…banished from the camp for two moons."

"What?" I burst out, breaking away from her. "Blackstar did that?"

Appleheart nodded bitterly. "Yes…I hate him. I've been coming back here every day to see if you're around."

I stared at her. "Appleheart…I think that we should stop seeing each other. Forever. If Blackstar is willing to do something as extreme as that, then we really should. I'm so sorry, but I think this is good-bye." There were those words again. Good-bye.

Appleheart nodded sadly. "Yes, Birchfoot. You're right. I'm sorry this had to work out like this." She drew in a shaky breath. "Good-bye."

I sighed. "Good-bye, Appleheart."

* * *

I'm not really satisfied with this fic, but tell me what you think. 

It was kind of sad, too…but at least no one died! Hah! I didn't kill anyone! (rock falls on Birchfoot) Ack! DAMMIT!


End file.
